withthetaliban. thetalibanisclaiming responsibility for the assassination which has opened up a power vacuum. >> he describes himself as the most powerful men in southern afghanistan. few disagreed. ahmad wali karzai was a controversial figure. in kandahar today, the walls of sight of his compound were closed. the president's half brother lived under the tightest security. only the closest could get close. without saying a word, he shot him twice. he welcomed president sarkozy of france. he said, this morning, my younger brother was murdered -- martyred. this is the life of afghan people. we have all suffered the same kind of pain. forgive me for not speaking with a smile today. ahmad wali karzai was said to be deeply involved with the heroin trade. the allegations strained relations with afghanistan's allies. in april, he told a bbc documentary crew about attempts on his life. >> are there still now? >> every day. >> drug traffickers? >> taliban. >> ahmad wali karzai came close to being charged with corruption. according to a u.s. official, he was too valuable. here in kabul, the have lost

of the afghan people, we have all suffered from the same kind of pain. >>thetalibanclaimedresponsibility for the assassination, afghan officials said an internal feud was also a possibility. and police launched an investigation. the murder also created an incident and ominous leadership vacuum in southern afghanistan at a time when u.s. troops are to begin withdrawing. ahmed wali karzai was a powerful and controversial figure in the family's an cessual home province of kandahar and was a key power broker and proxy for his brother in the region. but he was also widely suspected of a deep and pervasive corruption. in an interview last month with the cbc, the canadian broadcasting corporation, karzai dismissed persistent talk of profiteering. >> it is never approved. i might help people to facilitate things for them when it comes to security, when it comes to organizing meeting with the population. because i'm the only person who has all the facilities. >> for years, allegations also swirled that the one-time chicago-area restauranteur had ties who afghanistan's lucrative drug trade. but ka

secured the area. among the dead, an influential cleric. a man opposed tothetaliban. likeso many other tax, the brunt of it was borne by ordinary afghans. more people are also dying from nato air strikes. late on wednesday, six villages were attacked among the victims, women and children. it led to a wave of anger. protests have taken place pressing for the withdrawal of western forces. that is about to happen imminently. some are wondering, at what cost? starting next week and over the next several months, thousands of nato troops have begun to a withdrawal. handing over security to local afghan forces. questions are being raised about whether there are taking on the role especially after these high-profile killings. >> now, austerity is a word and a condition many europeans have been forced to adopt all though it is sparking massive protests across the continent. italy's senate passed its own cost-cutting package coming after investors started to worry that the eurozone could be the largest economy to be sucked into the debt crisis. our europe panter reports. italy has been told that